


Like You Used To Love Me

by Myriamele_Stratton



Series: Always Love [3]
Category: EXO (Band), EXO - Xiumin
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Happy Ending, Non-Explicit Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-10
Updated: 2021-02-10
Packaged: 2021-03-15 21:01:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 18,362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29320554
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Myriamele_Stratton/pseuds/Myriamele_Stratton
Summary: Miri's frustration with Minseok's work for the idol group finally proves to be well founded
Relationships: Kim Minseok|Xiumin/Original Female Character
Series: Always Love [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2151090





	1. You promised!

**Author's Note:**

> This story is fiction, and it's mine, please don't steal it.
> 
> Please note, there is not a specific idol group I'm thinking of when I wrote this, so don't think I'm dissing anyone, these are just characters in my head.

“But, Seokie-ah, you promised!!” Mirielle complained as she sat on the end of their bed and watched her husband finish getting dressed. 

It was evening, and she was wearing a pretty, dark blue dress that was not too short, not too tight, but highlighted her perfect figure, and was usually enough to cause Minseok to pin her against a wall and tease her to distraction until he finally had to stop so they could be on time to whatever party or dinner they were attending. She had just finished her hair and make-up, and had gone to the salon that afternoon for her nails – fingers and toes – and she had planned to wear a pair of her black, red-bottomed, peep-toed, high-heeled pumps for added effect, since whenever she wore the whole outfit, Minseok typically found a secluded car park after the event, and loved her up until she was delirious.

Tonight was supposed to be one of those nights – he had made reservations at an exclusive restaurant for no reason other than that he’d wanted to spend some time alone with Mirielle – but as he’d been standing at the bathroom mirror in his undershirt and boxers, shaving his gorgeous face, he’d received a text that had changed the entire atmosphere in the bedroom. So far, the wall pinning hadn't happened, and Miri was quickly losing hope that it would.

“I know, Mirielle, and I swear I’ll make it up to you, but this is an important function for the girls, and Sangook called in sick; and, we don’t have anyone else available; they’re all busy. Besides, it’s not like we were doing anything important; we can go to dinner any other night!” Minseok had become frustrated with his wife, as she’d been whining at him since he’d received the text and told her they had to change their plans. 

The minute those words dropped from his lips and he realized what he’d said, he stopped fussing with his tie and looked directly at Mirielle, who was staring at him; her eyes widened, and her mouth dropped open, as though he had grown two heads. 

“Miri-ah, that’s not what I meant...” Minseok said quickly as he started to move toward where she sat. 

Mirielle blinked her amber eyes, closed her mouth, and quickly stood up from the bed, then backed away from him toward the bathroom door. She shook her head and blinked again, sending two enormous crystal teardrops down her cheeks, and she gasped, “No... no, it’s okay... you go... I... I have to use the restroom... you hurry and go, or you’ll be late...” She turned around and hurried in, slamming the door in his face before he could catch it and hold it open, then locked it. 

“Mirielle, I don’t have time to deal with this right now, don’t be like this!! I didn’t mean that the way it came out!!!” He turned the knob, hoping that perhaps she’d miraculously unlock it if he jiggled the handle, but of course, that hope was dashed when it stayed locked. “Dammit, Mirielle, why do you have to be such a child??!!” He growled. 

“Please, Minseok,” Miri said, loudly enough so he could hear her through the thick wood, “just go... it’s all right... I’m not feeling very well, but I didn’t want to say anything because I didn’t want to disappoint you, so... so this is a blessing in disguise... I’ll... I’ll see you tomorrow after you wake up...” She knew from experience that when Minseok had to go somewhere with any of the groups his firm worked with, it was highly likely that he wouldn’t be home until after dawn the next day, and he’d end up sleeping most of the rest of it. She fought to keep her voice even, praying she could convince him that what she was saying was true. 

Minseok sighed and rested his forehead against the door, then replied, “All right, Mirielle... and again, I am very sorry... we’ll go out together soon... I’ll see you tomorrow...” 

Miri waited for him to say I love you, but he didn’t, so she didn’t either, and then she waited a few more minutes before she opened the bathroom door and peered around it into the bedroom. Minseok had left, and she walked over to the window to look out at the street, then watched as he pulled out of the driveway and started driving down the road, his gaze automatically drawn to her as she stood there with tears streaming down her face. However, she knew he wouldn’t be able to see them from so far away. He lifted his hand to wave at her, but she didn’t respond and instead turned and walked away from the window to change out of her clothes. 

She suspected that she knew where Minseok and the other security agency employees were taking the idols, as one of the major award shows was happening that night. She fought with herself for quite a while, trying to convince herself not to turn the tv on and watch it, but she couldn’t stand it, and finally she sat on the couch, picked up the remote, pressed the button, and observed as the event unfolded on the big screen. 

Most of the cameras were focused on the idols and stages inside the auditorium where the show was being held. Still, there were always one or two that were looking elsewhere, and Miri lifted her hand to her mouth and bit the back of one of her fingers when she saw Minseok escorting Soyoung, the idol who had the crush on him, his hand in the small of her back, while she had hers around his waist. So, it looked like they were a couple. And he seemed entirely comfortable with the idea. Of course, Soyoung was beaming – who wouldn’t, when they were accompanied by Kim Minseok in all his magnificent glory? 

Miri turned off the tv, looked at the clock, and realized it was only eight-thirty, then gave up on the idea of eating and went to bed. She’d always read stories about people who cried themselves to sleep, and she envied them because she was one of those that unless she was exhausted, she just cried and stayed awake. So, she lay in bed beside Minseok’s pillow, staring at the white linen that normally cradled his perfect head, and sobbed until her own pillowcase was uncomfortably damp under her cheek. 

Eventually, she accepted that she wasn’t getting any sleep that night, and she got up, dressed, and went to her office. Yes, it was a Friday night, but since she wasn’t doing anything interesting at home, and since Minseok would be out of commission at least until late afternoon the next day, she thought she might as well get some of the work done that was piled up on her desk because there weren’t enough hours in the day to get it all finished. 

She arrived at the building and parked her car, rode the elevator to her floor, walked to her office, then sat in her comfortable chair and looked out at the Seoul skyline while she cried softly. Finally, she forced herself to stop blubbering, put on her glasses, and started to work. 

Miri woke up hours later, having fallen asleep slumped over her desk, and she groaned as she lifted her head and realized she had a raging headache. Sighing softly, she looked at her phone, noting there were no text or calls from her husband, then stood up and went into the office bathroom to take a headache powder and drink some water, then entered the office bedroom, lay down on the bed, and stared out at the brightening sky. After a while, she decided she didn't feel like going home, so she climbed under the covers and closed her eyes, willing her racing mind to be quiet, then drifted off. 

Minseok came home close to seven a.m., exhausted, a little bit drunk (he’d had the limo driver bring him home and planned to have Miri drive him to pick up his car later), and when he entered the bedroom to find the bed empty, he thought his wife must be in the bathroom, or perhaps in the kitchen, as he hadn’t seen her in the living room when he’d walked through. He started searching the house for her but couldn’t find her anywhere, and eventually, the last place he hadn’t looked was the garage. When he opened the door and saw her SUV missing, his heart started to thump in his chest, and he hurriedly pinged her phone to check her location, relieved when he saw the notification that she was at the Han Corporation building downtown. He considered texting or calling her but thought she was probably sleeping and decided to call her later when he woke up if she hadn’t come home by then. 

He trudged up the stairs and to their room, forced himself to take a shower after he’d undressed, then fell into bed and immediately to sleep. He woke up shortly before five o’clock to the smell of something heavenly, so he climbed out of bed, wore a pair of comfortable sweat pants and a tee-shirt, then wandered down to the kitchen, where he found Mirielle stirring a pot of something on the stove. He walked up behind her, placed his arms around her waist, and then rested his chin on her shoulder. “Mmm, hi, baby,” Minseok whispered as he nuzzled the side of her neck, “what’s for dinner?” 

“Gungjung tteokbokki, samgyeopsal, kimchi, gyeran bokkeumbap, and hotteok for dessert...” Miri’s voice was soft and slightly shaky, and she had her hair pulled back in a messy bun that still allowed thick strands of it to fall forward and hide her face as she lowered her head and turned her face slightly away from Minseok’s gaze. 

“That all sounds delicious, I’m starving... all they had at the after-party last night were appetizers, and since the girls weren’t eating very much, I didn’t want to stuff my face.” He stayed near her with his arms around her, his chin resting gently on her shoulder, but she didn’t reply to his words. “Honey? Is everything all right?” 

“Mhm,” Mirielle hummed, “I’m just thinking about the things I need to do at work... I need to go in for a while, so I’ll serve you your dinner, then head over.” 

Minseok’s eyebrows rose, and he released his embrace, then moved to stand beside her and tried to look at her face, but she kept her head lowered so he couldn’t see her. “Miri-ah... is something wrong?” 

Miri shook her head, and when he reached to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, she sidled away from him while still stirring the food in the pan. “Nothing’s wrong, Minseok; I just want to get your dinner ready so that you can eat. Stop pestering me and go watch tv; this will take another fifteen minutes or so.” 

Minseok started to speak, ready to scold her for being snippy with him, but he stopped, then reached over and gently rubbed his hand up and down her back. “All right, baby, call me when dinner is ready.” He was sure she was still upset about the previous night but figured she’d either talk to him about it when she was ready, or she’d forget about it. Either way, he didn’t want to push her if she wasn’t ready... and to be honest, he didn’t want to have that argument again since it wouldn’t get them anywhere. 

A short while later, Miri called him to the table, then patted his shoulder as he sat down in front of the plates of food. “I’m not staying for dinner, Minseok; I really need to go back to work. Just leave the dishes, and I’ll wash them when I get home, but please put the leftovers in the fridge – I've left bowls with lids out for you. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” Miri turned on her heel, left the kitchen, and moments later, he heard the garage door open, then close. 

Minseok frowned and looked at the food, then sighed softly, realizing she’d cooked his favorites without his asking. And then he remembered that she hadn’t said she loved him or kissed him when she left, which made him try to remember if he’d said it to her last night... or when the last time was that he had, or that she’d said it to him. As he thought about it, he realized it had been at least a month since he'd done more than hug her. “Fuck... Minseok, you are a pabo... well, next Sunday is my birthday, and hers is next Tuesday, so... I’ll plan something for us to do together... maybe take a couple of days off from work... I should talk to Lisa so she knows Miri won't be at the office...” 

A few hours later, Miri was sitting at her desk, concentrating on one of the spreadsheets she had open when her text notification pinged her. She cast a glance at the phone, saw it was Minseok, then turned away and went back to her work. Or, at least she tried to work. But she failed. Instead, she rested her hands on the top of her desk, pressed her forehead against the back of them, and burst into tears. She was still terribly hurt by his words from Friday night but had vowed not to say anything to him, as she knew he would just accuse her of being selfish and childish, and her heart couldn’t take more of that. 

She sat up, wiped her face, then walked into the bathroom to wash the tears from her cheeks before she went to the bedroom and lay on the bed, staring out at the night skyline while she thought about what had been happening for the past two months.


	2. Uncomfortable and awkward

It had started on Valentine’s Day. 

The last time they’d had any sort of issues was when Miri had tried to commit suicide, and once she’d recovered, they’d gone to counseling together. Minseok had found out about Miri’s early family life and why she’d been living with her grandmother when he met her, and it had explained quite a bit about why her psyche was so easily swayed toward hatred for herself. They’d gotten closer and had spent the rest of that year as in love as they had been the day they’d gotten married, and when the New Year passed, they had started to talk about having a child. 

Mirielle had decided that she would stop taking the birth control pill a few weeks before Valentine’s Day and not tell Minseok, so when they inevitably made love, she might become pregnant. Even if she didn’t, she knew her husband would love the thought of it. They’d planned to meet at a restaurant after work since it fell on a Monday, and Miri had changed into her dark blue dress and peep-toe pumps, also knowing it would drive him wild while they sat at the table for their meal, and Minseok would thoroughly ravish her before they made it home. 

She’d left her office in time to reach the restaurant ten minutes early, and when she’d walked in, she’d seen Minseok sitting at a table... with Soyoung. And, they were sitting on the same side of the table, which meant Miri would be the one sitting across from him. Before either of them noticed her, Miri turned around and left, then texted him from her office, telling him that she was swamped and couldn’t get away after all, but she hoped he enjoyed his dinner and wouldn’t be too lonely without her. 

For the previous years since they’d started dating, if one of them couldn’t make a date because of work, they would eat dinner, then bring a meal home for the other. This time, Minseok texted that it was okay, he’d see her at home, and he didn’t ask her what she wanted him to bring her. 

Miri had read the message, then gone into the bedroom in her office, closed the door, and screamed her heart out, enraged at the stupid girl who kept butting into their lives and at her foolish husband who kept allowing it to happen. Finally, she’d calmed down enough to think straight, and she went home, changed into pajamas, then went to one of the guest bedrooms to sleep. 

When Minseok returned to the house, he was surprised to find an empty bed in their room, so he went looking, only to find Miri sitting up in the guest bed and reading a book. He had opened the door without knocking, and Miri looked over the top of the book at him with a frown. 

“Why are you in here? Why aren’t you in our bed?” Minseok asked as Miri hadn’t said a word. 

“Did you enjoy your dinner with your client?” Mirielle replied, her gaze flat as Minseok frowned. 

“How did...” He started to say, but Miri cut him off. 

“I saw you. I came to the restaurant, and I saw you sitting there with her beside you like you were on a Valentine’s Day date. And I decided not to be the third wheel, so I left. I hope you had a nice time. I had instant ramen for dinner. It was delicious. Thank you for the flowers, candy, and card, too...” Minseok winced as he realized he hadn’t purchased any of those things for Miri. 

“Miri...” Minseok started again. 

“Save it,” Mirielle said, “there is not a single thing you could say that will make this okay. You can’t take it back, and I won’t forgive you for it. Get the hell out of my fucking room, I’m tired, and I’m going to sleep.” She set the book on the bedside table, turned off the lamp, then lay down in the bed with her back to the door, cursing herself silently for crying as tears began to slip from the corners of her eyes. 

Minseok had sudden flashbacks of the fight in his office that had almost cost Miri her life when he’d told her to get out, and he was determined not to let that happen again. He strode into the room while hurriedly removing his clothes, then climbed into the bed beside her before rolling her toward him and pulling her into his arms. “I’m not going anywhere. I’m going to make love to my wife and make sure she knows how much I treasure her, even if I am an idiot.” 

Miri tried to push him away, but he only tightened his embrace, and finally, she broke down and started to sob while pounding her hands against his chest, although she couldn’t get very much strength behind the punches, as he was holding her so close. Eventually, she stopped crying, he whispered to her softly and explained what had happened – Soyoung had been at the restaurant with the idol group when Minseok had arrived, and she’d come to the table to say hello to him when he’d been seated. 

She’d asked if she could sit beside him and talk to him for a moment, he’d said yes, and that had apparently been when Miri had walked into the restaurant, as a few moments later, Soyoung had gotten up and gone back to her table. Miri had then texted Minseok, and he’d stayed to have dinner. He was sorry he hadn’t asked if Miri wanted him to bring her something to eat, but he’d mostly just wanted to hurry and get home, planning to cook something for Miri once he arrived, except Soyoung had come back and asked him where Miri was. He’d explained that Miri had to stay late at work, so Soyoung had asked if she could join him for dinner, and he couldn’t very well say no, but... now he was home, and he loved Miri more than life, and he’d bought her a beautiful diamond ring to complement her wedding set. 

They made up, made love, and things were fine for a couple of weeks. 

Then, it was the second week of March, and Minseok had made reservations for a nice dinner at one of his and Miri’s favorite restaurants, and since it was a Friday night, he’d booked a hotel room at one of the nicest hotels downtown. He’d kept it a surprise until Friday morning when he’d told her he had plans for them that night, so she should come home on time. 

Naturally, that didn’t work out, as right around lunchtime, he’d called Miri to tell her that there was a change of plans because Soyoung’s group needed escorts for an industry party, and everyone else was busy, so blah blah blah... which is pretty much what Miri said when he told her what was happening. 

The closeness they’d shared started to crack, and more often than not, Miri slept in the guest bedroom, after having fought with Minseok over his attention to Soyoung, rather than to his wife. Miri tried very hard not to take it personally, wanted to tell herself that he was doing his job, which he loved, and she didn’t want to take that away from him, but she began to resent the time he was with the idols, instead of with her. When she tried to talk to him about it, about how he’d said she was more important, he’d brushed her off, telling her it was only because the group was promoting a new album and a new concert tour, and once they left to go on the road, Minseok would be all Miri’s again. 

Miri waffled between being angry about playing second fiddle to anyone in Minseok’s life and being hurt about him not seeing how unhappy she was. Each time he tried to make it up to her by taking her on some sort of date, something else with the group would come up, and he’d have to cancel. “I’ll make it up to you” became one of the most hated phrases Mirielle had ever heard, and whenever he’d say it, she’d grit her teeth and force herself not to slap him. 

Now, here she was, in her office the weekend before her husband’s birthday, unsure if she would be able to spend it with him or not, and... she thought she might be pregnant and hadn’t told him yet. She hadn’t gotten around to buying a couple of tests, as she’d been too stressed to think about it when she would have had time to stop at a store, but she’d missed her period, which was unusual. However, at this point, she wasn’t entirely sure he’d care if she was. That thought was what tore her heart into pieces. What if he didn’t want her to be pregnant, after all? She still hadn’t told him that she’d stopped her birth control. She lay on the bed in her quiet office and cried, then finally forced herself to go home. 

When she got there, he’d been sleeping, and she’d changed into her pajamas, then gone to sleep in the guest room. As the week had begun, the two of them had danced around each other, pretending there was nothing wrong when it was apparent nothing was right, and when Thursday came, no-one would have been surprised if the inside of the windows of their house had been as frosty as the outside panes. 

And, of course, the road to hell is paved with the best of intentions... Minseok had meant to call Lisa, then set up a four-or-five-day vacation of sorts for Miri and him, but the idol group’s schedule had become increasingly hectic, and it had all slipped his mind... including the fact that two critical birthdays were coming up, one of which was the love of his life’s. Consequently, when Mirielle called Minseok on Thursday afternoon, he was utterly floored by the words she spoke. 

“Seokie-ah,” Miri said softly, after having decided to try to break the tension between them, “since your birthday is Sunday, would you mind going on a date with me?” 

Minseok blinked, then looked at the calendar and cursed silently. However, before he said anything, he thought for a long moment, then replied, “Of course I wouldn’t mind, Miri-ah... where will you take me?” He heard Miri giggle, and he smiled, his heart warming at the sound. 

“I thought we could go to Nami Island... maybe stay a couple of days and celebrate my birthday too?” Minseok could hear the sweetness in Miri’s voice, and he sighed internally in relief, as a broad smile curved his lips. 

“I would love that, baby... if you wanted, we could even go up on Saturday; I don’t have any plans this weekend...” He was lying through his teeth, but he intended to tell Chinhwa that someone else would need to take his place so that he could breathe life back into his relationship with his wife. 

“Really? That would be awesome... I’ve... I’ve missed you very much...” Miri admitted, then started to cry. 

“Oh! Oh, honey, shh... it’s all right, baby... are you at work right now?” He looked at the clock and saw that it was lunchtime. “Let me come take you to lunch... or do you want me to bring something, and we can have a little fun after we eat?” He deliberately made the tone of his voice low and sweet, knowing precisely what effect it would have on Miri. 

“Uh-huh...” Miri sniffled, then giggled, “Minseokie! Mmm... yes, I like the second option better... um... I don’t have a taste for anything in particular, besides you, so you pick what you want us to eat for lunch... oh, except sushi, I don’t want that...” 

Minseok grinned and replied, “I’m on my way, baby, I’ll be there shortly...” 

They’d eaten lunch, had a lovely little interlude in Miri’s office bedroom, and had spent Thursday night cuddling in bed at home watching movies. Friday they’d managed to go to a movie, and Saturday morning, they packed their suitcases for their trip... and then they hit a snag. 

“Minseok! Tell them no!!” Miri whispered furiously as she stood beside Minseok while he was talking on the phone to the idol group’s manager. 

“One moment, Mr. Cha,” Minseok said politely to the man, then put his phone on mute and frowned down at Miri. “I cannot tell them no, Mirielle!! They are our largest clients, and if we lost them, it would affect everyone in the company – we'd have to lay people off!! Do you want that on your conscience??”

Miri blinked, then lowered her head. “No...” 

“Good, because if you did, then I would be highly disappointed in you... now, can I tell Mr. Cha that the girls can join us on our trip?” 

Miri nodded her head, then turned around and walked out of the bedroom. 

Minseok sighed heavily, unmuted his phone, and then told the manager where to meet the chartered van that Minseok had hired for the trip. He hung up the phone and looked toward the door to the hall, then shook his head, thinking about what he had done, and was doing. When Miri had called him on Thursday to ask if they could have a date, he’d almost said no, because he’d made prior arrangements with Soyoung and her group. 

However, he couldn’t bring himself to do it, so he’d lied and said he was free. He’d made the arrangements for the trip, which included having the idols join them, but had waited until the last minute, then had acted like the manager had called him to ask if the girls could go. However, it was Chinhwa on the phone, and before Minseok had ended the call, Chinhwa had told him in no uncertain terms how shitty he thought it was. Minseok agreed, but he felt as though his hands were tied – he didn’t want to let down a client, nor did he want to let down his wife... he just hoped she would be able to trust him for a little longer; then the tour would start, and he’d be home like he had been before. 

Today, he just had to deal with Mirielle being unhappy for a little while, but he expected that she would start feeling better about it once they were on the road and seated together. 

Except as soon as they all arrived at the bus, Soyoung insisted that she had to sit next to Minseok, since she was uncomfortable on long car rides, and his presence comforted her. 

He could tell that Miri almost turned and left, but she put on a fake smile, climbed into the bus, and sat next to the manager instead, who talked her ear off about nothing interesting for the whole trip, which luckily was less than thirty minutes. Once they arrived on the island after the ferry dropped them at the dock, she went and stood next to Minseok, who smiled and took her hand. They had a tour guide with them, and he began to explain some aspect of the island, but Soyoung turned to Minseok and told him she wanted to get something to eat and wanted him to go with her. 

Mirielle gritted her teeth and started to pull her hand from his, but Minseok tightened his grip, indicating that he expected her to go with him, so she plastered on the fake smile again when Soyoung looked at her, then walked with the two of them to one of the food vendor carts. Of course, Minseok dropped Miri’s hand to draw some money out of his wallet, and he was incredibly solicitous to Soyoung, which made Miri feel like the outsider, so she slowly began to step away. Soyoung saw her but didn’t comment, and since Minseok was facing in the other direction, he was unaware. 

A few minutes later, Minseok turned his head to ask Miri a question, then realized she wasn’t there. “Where’s Mirielle?” He asked Soyoung, who shrugged her shoulders. 

“I think she went to the bathroom... I don’t know why you brought her, Minseok Oppa... she doesn’t work for you, so she really shouldn’t be with us...” Soyoung licked her ice cream cone and gave Minseok a smoldering look, which he completely ignored. 

“I brought her because she’s my wife, and don’t call me Oppa.” Minseok looked around again, then saw Miri’s tawny hair shining in the sun. “I see her, come on...” He turned around and walked away from Soyoung, then saw Miri disappearing into one of the restrooms. “She went in there; let’s wait out here...” Minseok stood near the bathroom, but not so close that he would spook other women as they came out.


	3. I have a couple of favors to ask

“Oh, I have to go to the restroom too...” Soyoung said as she finished her ice cream, garnering a small nod from Minseok, although his gaze was on the exit while he waited for Miri to come out. 

Mirielle was in the bathroom washing her hands when Soyoung walked in. She lifted her head and watched the girl, who looked around the bathroom which was currently deserted, while she pinched her own cheek a few times, then came over to her. 

“Why are you here?” Soyoung asked Miri, her beautiful face filled with vicious hatred. 

Miri blinked and stepped back slightly as she wiped her hands with a paper towel. “Because I had to use the restroom, why else would I be here?” 

“No, I meant, why are you here on the island with us? You don't work for Minseok Oppa's company, and he was supposed to take us somewhere else tomorrow, but suddenly, everything changed, and here we are... I hate this place; it’s so boring!!” 

Miri blinked again, this time in shock at the girl's words, but then she replied, “Because it’s my husband’s birthday tomorrow, and I wanted to bring him here for a private celebration, but you came and ruined it like you’ve been ruining everything else for the past year...” Miri put her hands on her hips and matched the other girl’s expression with one of her own. She was not going to let this slut intimidate her, no matter who she was. "I know what you're trying to do, Soyoung, and it isn't going to work, you can't have my husband."

“Well, just so you know, you're right, I want Minseok, and what I want, I get... so...” Suddenly, Soyoung swung her hand back, then slapped Miri hard in the face. “OWWWWWW!!!” Soyoung yelped while she continued pinching own cheek to make it turn red, then placed her hand over the spot and ran out of the bathroom, pretending to sob loudly. 

Mirielle was so shocked by Soyoung’s unexpected action, she hadn’t made a sound, and she stood there for a long moment, her hand lifted to press against the stinging spot on her face. She looked at herself in the mirror, lowered her hand, then winced when she saw the bruise already forming. Sighing softly, she slowly walked out of the restroom in a daze, stopping when she saw Soyoung standing in front of Minseok with her head pressed against his chest, while he had his arms around her shoulders and was patting her back. 

Unfortunately, the bathroom entrance and exit were somewhat dark due to the shade from the overhang, and Minseok couldn’t see the mark on Miri’s face. Consequently, when he saw her come out, he frowned at her. “Kim Mirielle, what the hell is wrong with you?! Why did you slap Soyoung??!!!” 

Miri blinked, then blurted, “I didn’t slap her; she's the one who hit me!!!” 

Minseok rolled his eyes and shook his head. “Mirielle, you have been acting like a jealous child since the day you learned Soyoung’s group was a client of my company, and it has just gotten worse and worse! And now, you’ve stooped to assaulting her??! Shame on you!!” He frowned at Miri, then continued, “Go find the rest of the group, Mirielle; Soyoung and I will join you at the restaurant for lunch. Until then, I think it’s best if I keep you separated.” 

Minseok couldn’t see the look that Soyoung was giving to Miri, as she had her head lowered slightly. Consequently, he didn’t see the smirk that curved her lips. 

Mirielle blinked and lowered her hand, then started to walk toward Minseok and Soyoung. “Minseok, I didn’t touch her! She hit me!!! How can you not believe me? I’m your wife!!” 

Minseok pushed Soyoung behind him like he expected Miri to smack her again. “Why would she lie, huh? You’re supposed to be the adult here; she’s still a teenager! What could she possibly gain from hurting you?!!” 

Miri stopped walking and stared at Minseok in disbelief, her hand automatically going to her belly and rubbing it gently. “Have you thought that maybe the prize would be you, Minseok?” 

The gesture wasn’t lost on Minseok, but he was angry enough at the moment to not wonder at the significance, and he just shook his head. 

“Honestly, Mirielle, that is one of the most ridiculous things I’ve ever heard. Now, go find the rest of the group. Once Soyoung is calmed down, and you’ve gotten over whatever delusion you’re operating under, we’ll meet for lunch. Then, maybe you and I can talk, and you can explain what the hell this was...” He gestured toward Soyoung’s cheek, and she lowered her hand to show off the red mark where she’d pinched herself... but only she and Miri knew the truth. 

Miri held Minseok’s dark gaze for a long minute, then she turned around and walked away. By the time Minseok realized she was heading in the opposite direction from the idols and other minders, she had managed to lose herself in the throng of people, and he couldn’t see her tawny hair. 

“Dammit! Well, we’ll just have to resolve this later. Come on, Soyoung, let’s walk a bit; you’ll feel better.” Minseok rested his arm over Soyoung’s shoulders, she slid her arm surreptitiously around his waist, and they walked in the opposite direction from everyone. 

Mirielle’s eyes filled with tears as she left, and she rested her hand on her stomach, then whispered, “It’s okay, baby, your Appa doesn’t love us... well, he doesn’t know about you yet, but... he doesn’t love me...” 

Eventually, everyone met up at the restaurant, but Mirielle wasn’t with the others, and Minseok looked around, then asked, “Where is Miri?” 

Everyone looked at each other, but they all shrugged their shoulders, while Soyoung stood beside Minseok with a smirk on her face that she hid whenever anyone looked at her. “We haven’t seen her since we arrived at the island, Mister Kim.” 

“Dammit,” Minseok cursed softly under his breath. “I’m going to try to call her; why don’t all of you find some tables, and I’ll join you once I’ve found my wife...” 

Soyoung started to come after him, but he shook his head. “No, you stay here with your friends; I’ll be back shortly.” 

“But Minseok Oppa, I could help you look for her...” Soyoung replied, her use of the familiar honorific causing the rest of the group to shift uncomfortably. 

“I don’t need help looking for my wife, Miss Han, and I’ve asked you to stop calling me Oppa. Stay here.” Minseok wasn’t the only one of the security company people with the group, so he felt confident they would be perfectly safe without him there, and he was starting to think that Miri’s suspicions about Soyoung’s intentions might be correct, as while he and the girl had been walking around, she’d continually tried to flirt with him. He walked out of the restaurant, then went a little further, found a bench to sit on, and called Miri. 

“H-Hello?” Miri said, after letting the call go to voice mail a couple of times, before finally picking it up. 

“Kim Mirielle, where are you?! Why weren’t you answering your phone??!!” Minseok had started to get worried, but now he was angry. “Why aren’t you with the group???” 

“I... I don’t belong with them... I don’t know any of them, and... and I... I shouldn’t have come to begin with... I didn’t know you had plans with her already...” Miri stopped talking, took a deep breath, then whispered, “but, I understand now, Sir... I understand why you believed her and not me... so... so I won’t stand in your way any longer...” 

“Mirielle!! Don’t say another word!! You tell me where you are right now!” Minseok tried his Mister Kim voice, but Miri didn’t respond, which terrified him worse than just about anything else could. 

“No, Sir... as long as those girls are your clients, there is no place for a jealous child like me in your life... and since I don’t want to be the cause of anyone losing their jobs, I... I could never ask you to drop them from your client list. So... me and what might be Baby Kim are going to go away, and you won’t have to be bothered by us ever again... I... I hope you and Soyoung have a happy life together.” Miri’s voice broke on a sob, then she gasped, “I... I don’t want to be hurt anymore... so... goodbye, Mister Kim...” 

“Miri!!” Minseok yelled, causing a few people to turn their heads and look at him in concern. She didn’t answer, and he looked at his phone, then realized she’d hung up. “Shit!” He thought for a moment, then called Chinhwa. “Hey, Chin... I, uh... I need your help...” He waited until Chinhwa asked him what he needed help with, then he said, “I... Miri’s... on the run again... and this time, I think she might be pregnant...” 

He held his phone away from his ear as Chinhwa started yelling expletives at him, and when he heard the voice calm down, he answered. “None of that will help me find her... can you trace her phone? We’re on Nami Island... or at least the idols, the other guards, and I are... I’m not sure where Miri is...” 

Suddenly, he received a text notification. “Hang on a second, Chin; Miri is texting me.” He opened up the text and blinked when he read the message. 

Mrs. Kim: Please don’t look for me. You keep making me come back and then breaking my heart. I can’t do that again. And although I know you believe that girl, here is proof that she slapped me. If you look at her face in about ten minutes, you’ll see that her cheek is clear again because she pinched her skin to make it look like I hit her. She said she wants you, and she gets what she wants, and she was right. 

A picture popped up on his screen, and he gasped, then widened the view. “Goddammit... Minseok, you are an even bigger bastard than you thought... oh god, that must hurt so much... my poor Miri...” 

Soyoung’s Squeeze: Miri-ah... please forgive me, I had no idea she would go that far; I thought it was just a harmless crush. I swear to you, even if it means people lose their jobs, I will cut ties with the group. Please come back... I’m sitting on a bench near the restaurant; I’ll wait here for you. 

Mrs. Kim: Oh, that’s funny, Sir. But, no, I won’t be running back to you so you can lie to me again, and I won’t be the reason why anyone loses their job. Soyoung will be thrilled I’m gone. Go back to her; she needs you. I thought I did too, but... I managed on my own before you, and I’ll do it again. Goodbye.

Soyoung’s Squeeze : Miri, wait! Are you really pregnant? How will you take care of the baby by yourself? 

Mrs. Kim: Oh, now you’re making me laugh even harder, Sir... why would I lie about being pregnant? I mean, I don’t know for sure I am, but I’d be surprised if I’m not. Oh, wait, right, because I lied about not slapping your girlfriend. Well, you can believe whatever you want, but both of those things are true. As for taking care of the baby and me, if there is one, I will manage. Okay, well, I’m on my way now. I’m blocking you from my phone and turning it off, so no-one can track me. Goodbye, Sir. Have a happy life. 

Minseok pulled his hair in frustration, then picked up the call with Chinhwa again. “Did you find her?” 

“Yes... she’s not on the island; it looks like she’s at the train station.” Chinhwa replied, his voice tight with anger. “I can’t believe you... after what we went through to find her last time, and it was almost too late... how the fuck could you let this happen??” 

Minseok placed his hand over his eyes and sighed. “I... I don’t know, Chin... I swear I didn’t do it maliciously... I just...” 

“You were just worried about the company... yeah, whatever... your wife has a six-figure job, and all of our employees have other prospects. The only reason none of them has left is that our pay is comparable to other places, and our employees are loyal to us. But, if we had to close the doors tomorrow, every one of us, including you, could find another job within days, a week at the most. Your excuses for continuing to let that little bitch manipulate you are worthless. Your wife, who loves you enough that she tried to get rid of herself because she wanted you to be happy, is now running away from you, again... because she just wants you to be happy.” Chinhwa stopped talking, then sighed. “I have to go. She’s on the train. I can’t decide if I hope you catch up to her or not because if you do find her and then do this to her again... I will feel obligated to beat the shit out of you. Sometimes I wish my sister had never introduced the two of you.” Chinhwa cut the call without another word. 

Meanwhile, Mirielle texted her friend/boss, Lisa. 

M: Lisa? Are you free for a moment? 

L: Hey, Miri, how are you? Yes, I have a few minutes, what’s up? 👋

M: I’m... not doing so good right now, but I don’t really want to talk about it. I have a couple of favors to ask. 🙏

L: Miri... where are you? Do you need me to come to you? Is Minseok being a prick again? 😤 Chinie told me about that stupid girl idol who keeps hanging on your husband. Is she causing a problem? Do you want me to beat her up? 🤬

M: 🤣 First, I’m on my way back to Seoul, but no, I don’t need you to come to me. Second, no, Minseok was never a prick; I just misunderstood what he was trying to tell me, but now I understand, so... yeah. And third, no, I do not want you to beat that bitch up because then you’d go to jail, and you’re my only friend. 😂 So... can I ask my favors now? 👼

L: Goddamn that man, I will tell Chinie to punch him in that gorgeous face! 👊 

M: Lisa... 🙄 

L: Sorry. Yes, ask away, you know I’ll do anything for you. 💞 

M: Good, because what I’m going to ask is... pretty significant... okay, so... I need to borrow one of the company cars for a few days, maybe a week. Is it all right if I take the Mercedes SUV? 🚙

L: You mean the one like yours? Um, yeah, sure, but why do you need it? 🤔 

M: Because I’ll need it where I'm going, and I don’t want to take mine because I don’t want to be traced. 🤫

L: Oooo, sounds intriguing... are you planning to get rid of a body? 🧟‍♀️

M: Lisa!! 🤣

L: Sorry, sorry!!! (okay, not really) 😜

M: Aish. Okay, second favor – do you still have that house on Jeju Island? And if so, can I stay there for a few days, maybe a week? 🏡

L: Yes, and uh... okay, it’s vacant right now, we don’t have anyone coming until the end of May, so you have until then... although if you need longer, let me know and I can cancel the reservation and give them their deposit back... just let me know at least three weeks in advance, so I can find them somewhere else to stay, too... 🙏 

M: Thanks, Lisa... and that’s really cool that you’d make sure they had somewhere to go. You’re fantastic; I don’t care what Chinhwa says about you... 😁 

L: Hahaha, funny...🙄 okay, the keys are in my desk, and you still have the spare key to my desk, right? And you remember the code for the keypad for the door? 

M: Great, that’s perfect, thank you. And yes, to both of those questions. And now, for the biggest favor... 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

L: Uh oh... I think I’m going to regret this... 😕 

M: Heh... Please do not tell Chinhwa that you’ve talked to me... like... delete this entire conversation... 🤐 

L: What?? Oh, hell no, I will be in so much trouble if he finds out I didn’t tell him... you know that Minseok will be calling him to try to track you down... at least, I’m assuming Minseok knows you’re on the run again? And why? ❓

M: I know, but... okay, I can’t explain this in text; I’ll call you in a sec... 📱 

Mirielle called Lisa, explained what had been going on for the past couple of months, then what had occurred at Nami Island. 

“Oh my god, that little bitch! Are you okay? Did you put some ice on your cheek?? She didn’t make you bleed, did she? If she did, I’m beating her up, whether it’s a good idea or not!!!” Lisa was livid after Miri told her everything. “And that bastard, believing her over you!!! What the fuck??!!!! I’m so going to tell him off when I see him!!” 

“Lisa, you can’t say anything; you have to act like you haven’t heard from me either. And if anyone says anything about the SUV missing, you have to act like you didn’t know I took it... please... I... I can’t handle having my heart shattered again, and as long as that group is one of Minseok’s clients, it will never stop because that little cunt won’t leave him alone... and he... he’s too fucking nice to believe she’s trying to steal him from me.” Miri sat on the train and looked out the window while she talked to her friend, although the scenery could have been gray walls, for all she cared. 

“Oh god, this is going to be so hard... I just know he’s going to come over here and ask Chinhwa to search for you... hm... maybe I'll go shopping... or to the office... or somewhere... I definitely can’t be here, or it will be obvious I know something.” 

Miri could hear Lisa moving around as she talked. “Thank you so much, Lisa... I just... I hurt so bad... and... and I might be pregnant...” 

There was absolute silence on the other end of the phone, then Lisa spoke. “I’m sorry, what did you just say?” 

Miri sighed, then sniffled. “I said, I think I might be pregnant... but I don’t know for sure, I need to buy a couple of tests and see...” 

“Miri, if you are... what are you going to do then? Minseok would have legal rights regarding the baby...” 

“I know... and I’ll deal with that when it happens... I mean, if I’m pregnant.” 

“I swear, nothing can be simple with you, can it? Okay, look, I’m going to the office. Do you want me to stop by your house and get you some clothes or anything?” 

“No, I brought my suitcase with me, because Minseok and I were supposed to stay on Nami for a few days... maybe a week... haha... well, at least I’m getting a vacation for my birthday...” 

“Oh shit, that’s right, it’s Tuesday!! Oh god, Mir... I’m so sorry...” 

“It’s all right, Lisa, it’s not like I can do anything about it... I just have to suck it up and accept that my husband is in love with someone else. Damn. That hurt to say it out loud. I do not want to cry on this train. So, I’m going to hang up, and I’ll see you at the office in about thirty minutes, maybe a little more... if you do hear from Chinhwa or Minseok, please, tell them you haven’t talked to me...” 

Lisa sighed. “Okay... I’ll see you soon... I love you, bestie... I’m so sorry this is happening; you don’t deserve it...” 

“Thanks... I love you too... see you soon...” 

“See you.” 

Miri ended the call and rested her chin on her hand while she looked out the window. The train was relatively empty, so she didn’t worry about anyone trying to disturb her, although she sort of did wish someone would, so she could think about something else besides her current situation.


	4. I can't abandon her

Finally, Miri arrived in Seoul, called an Uber, and had it drop her off at the Han building. She walked in the front door, went up to her floor, and then went to Lisa’s office. The door was open, and she could hear soft music playing and the tapping of fingernails on the keyboard while she walked down the hall, which brought a smile to her face, even as she started to cry. 

“LISA!!!” Mirielle sobbed as soon as she crossed the threshold into Lisa’s domain. 

“MIRI !!!” Lisa replied, immediately getting up from her chair and approaching her friend, then wrapping her arms around Miri as she fell apart. 

Miri wailed for a few minutes, then forced herself to calm down. “I’m... I’m okay... I’m going to get some of the files from my office and take them with me, so I can do some work while I’m down there... thanks again, Lisa, you have no idea how much your help means to me...” The two women hugged again, then Lisa handed the keys to the SUV and the house on Jeju Island to Miri and walked with her to the other office. 

“You are more than welcome... and no matter what happens, you have my full support... even if your idiot of a husband makes the right decision and dumps that group for once and for all, and you take him back... although I might accidentally kick him in the balls...” 

Miri laughed mirthlessly. “Well, I don’t think that’s likely to happen, since the contract with the group is the main source of income for his business... and even if he did, that bitch would find another way to sink her claws into him, so... as much as I’d like to believe he’ll come to find me and everything will be okay, I just... I have to be realistic and realize that it isn’t going to happen. He’s found his happiness, and she isn’t named Mirielle.” Miri started to cry again, fat teardrops trickling down her face, and Lisa handed her a tissue. 

“Now, no more of that, you have to concentrate on driving... here, let me help you gather what you need... which ones do you want to take with you?” Lisa started looking at the folders. 

“All of them... I figure if I’m going to be down there for a week, I’ll be bored if I don’t take as much as I can.” 

Lisa nodded and started to place the files in Miri’s briefcase while Miri grabbed a few of her office supplies, so she wouldn’t have to buy any when she was on the island. 

“Okay, I think that’s it...” Miri sighed and sniffled, then wiped her eyes and offered a broken smile to her friend. “Thanks again, Lis... I don’t know what I’d do without you...” 

Lisa smiled and hugged Miri, then kissed her cheek. “I’m glad I can help... and if you start to feel worthless or like you shouldn’t be alive, call me... please remember that Minseok isn’t the only one who would be heartbroken if something happened to you...” 

Miri nodded. “I promise, I won’t let that happen...” Miri sighed again. “I swear, how can I love him so much, knowing how much he doesn’t even care? I just have to accept my new normal, even if it’s not the way I envisioned my future to be.” 

Lisa smiled and tucked a strand of hair behind Miri’s ear. “Everything will be all right, Miri... one way or the other, you’ll be fine, just like always. You are one of the most resilient people I’ve ever met.” 

Miri smiled and laughed softly. “Thanks... I don’t know if it’s so much resiliency as idiocy... maybe I’m just too stupid to understand that I shouldn’t look for love anymore... I rarely had it growing up, why would my adult life be any different?” 

Lisa smiled sadly and hugged Miri again, then gently touched her bruised cheek. “Make sure you put some ice on that when you get to the house... and drive carefully, there’s supposed to be a big storm coming, although it isn’t supposed to hit until tomorrow.” 

“Oh good, that will at least delay anyone from searching for me... if anyone is... which I highly doubt... okay, I need to go before I break down again... I’ll call you once I’ve arrived safely.” 

“Okay... take care, Miri... stay as long as you need...” 

“Thanks, Lisa... talk to you soon...” Miri accepted one last hug, took the lift to the underground car park, stuffed her suitcase into the back of the company Mercedes, got in, then drove off, turning the car to the southeast. As she drove, she thought about the trip she’d taken to Jindo Island and wondered if she and Minseok would ever... 

“No, Mirielle, you need to stop thinking that he wants anything to do with you. He has his lover, and he was lying when he said he wanted you to go back to the island and he would wait for you. You’d have gone back, and he’d have been with her, and they would have laughed so hard at your gullibility. No, even if you’re pregnant, he won’t want you... and if you’re not, well, even better, since then, he won’t have to put up with your presence at all. So... you’re going down to Lisa’s house on Jeju to work, just like you did when you and she got part-time jobs down there, right after she bought the house... everything will be fine, you just have to make it past the next... rest of your life...” 

\----------

“No. The rest of my security team is perfectly capable of handling your safety; I don't need to remain on the island, while my wife thinks something is going on between Soyoung and me.” Minseok stood at the restaurant table while the idol girls, their managers and staff, and his employees remained seated and quiet. Soyoung had again tried to convince him that she would be in imminent danger if he didn’t stay to keep her safe, and Minseok had lost his temper. “I have stayed here long enough trying to explain this to you, but now I see that Miri was right, and you are a spoiled, manipulative brat.” 

He looked directly at the manager and bowed. “Mister Cha, I hope you can forgive me for leaving; however, whether you do or not, I will not risk my wife’s health or my marriage any longer. Since last year, I’ve tried to be patient when we re-wrote our contract, and I’ve overlooked the fact that I have been inconvenienced time and again to escort the group when I made it explicitly clear that was unnecessary. My marriage is more important to me than money; I hope you can understand. If not, I apologize, and I hope you can find the same care level you’ve received from our employees, elsewhere. Good day, please enjoy the rest of your time here as guests of our company.” 

Mister Cha stood up as Minseok prepared to walk away from the table. “Mister Kim, may I have a moment of your time before you go? Outside, please?” 

“Of course,” Minseok agreed, and the two men left the building, then walked to where Minseok had been sitting when he’d talked to Miri. 

“Mister Kim, please believe me when I say I am highly displeased by Soyoung’s behavior, and that is putting it very mildly. I had no idea the issue was as dire as it was; otherwise, I would have stepped in before. I did know that she still harbored a crush on you, but I hadn’t realized that she was putting so much pressure on you to be her personal bodyguard. That is unacceptable. I believe that your company has always been honest with us when it comes to the level of safety we can expect, and I also believe that all of your employees are as capable of providing that security as you are. Therefore, there is no reason for us to part ways, and I will make certain that you are not required to accompany us to further events. Please accept my apology as well for the terrible way you and your wife have been treated, and please extend my apologies to your wife.” 

Minseok nodded his head and stood, then bowed to Mister Cha. “Thank you, Mister Cha; I am grateful to hear you say that. I do not blame any of your other employees or the girls for this problem; I place the blame squarely where it belongs – on myself. Yes, Soyoung had quite a bit to do with it, but as I said, she is a spoiled, manipulative brat, and I allowed myself to be manipulated. I could have said no at any time, but I allowed my pride to blind me to the pain my wife was going through, and that is no-one else’s fault but mine. Now, I will bid you farewell, and again, please enjoy your time here at the expense of my company, for the awkwardness this situation has created.” 

Mister Cha stood up and bowed to Minseok while shaking his head. “I thank you for the generous offer, but I cannot, in good conscience, accept. If it weren’t for Soyoung, you wouldn’t be in this predicament, and if I had been paying closer attention, she wouldn’t have been able to finagle her way into ruining your birthday trip with your wife. Therefore, I will make sure that we pay for the entire expenses. Please do not try to argue with me, Mister Kim, I insist. And, as we both know, the customer is always right...” Mister Cha grinned and bowed to Minseok again, who smiled and bowed back. 

“Thank you, Mister Cha, I appreciate that. I will take my leave now, enjoy the rest of your time here, and I will talk to you again soon.” Minseok turned and hurried toward the ferry, hoping to catch it before it left, or he’d have to wait until the next one arrived. Unfortunately, he missed it by minutes, and he paced impatiently at the shoreline, careful not to bump into any other people who were also waiting. Finally, the ferry arrived; he boarded and tried not to pace again during the short ride to the mainland, then hailed a taxi to take him back to Seoul, as he didn’t want to deal with train schedules and tickets. 

The cab dropped him off at the car park where he’d left his vehicle that morning, where they’d met the van. He drove home, praying that Miri was there, but he was met with an empty house, and her Mercedes was in the garage. 

“Dammit, where would she be if her car is here...?” He opened his phone, hoping there would be texts or messages from Miri, but there was nothing, and he was getting increasingly worried. He called Chinhwa. 

“Chin... I’m at home, but Miri isn’t, and her car is here... can you trace her phone?” 

Chinhwa sighed heavily. “Hello to you, too, Min... yes, I can do that if she has it turned on.” Minseok heard the sound of fingers typing on a keyboard, then a pause before Chinhwa said, “Unfortunately, she has it turned off, I’m sorry.” 

Minseok choked on a sob as his dark eyes filled with tears. “Chin... I know you’re angry at me, I’m angry at me too... I’m disgusted that I believed that selfish, spoiled little girl over my wife... but I swear, Chin... I love Miri more than life... I told Mister Cha that I would never agree to guard the girls again, and if he felt it necessary to cancel our contract because of that, I would understand. He told me that he has faith in our firm, he believes our employees are as capable as you or I in keeping them safe, and he felt no need to break our agreement. I will never again put my work before my family... please, Chin... please help me find her before it’s too late...” 

“Come to my house... Lisa has something she needs to tell you...” Chinhwa said, his voice low and frustrated sounding. 

“Can’t she just tell me over the phone? Shouldn’t you call Junho?” Minseok was ready to tear his hair in anxiety. 

“No, I don’t need to call Junho, and no, she doesn’t want to tell you over the phone. Just come, Minseok... come now...” 

Minseok sighed. “All right, fine, I’ll be there as soon as I can.” 

Thirty minutes later, Minseok was sitting at the table in Chinhwa and Lisa’s kitchen. He had arrived at the house after twenty minutes, and Lisa had spent the next ten screaming epithets at him and telling him about the conversation she’d had with Miri. However, she’d refused to say where her friend was currently, and once she’d finished cursing him and all of his ancestors, she’d run to her and Chinhwa’s bedroom, slammed the door, and locked it. 

Chinhwa walked into the kitchen, and Minseok looked at him expectantly, but Chinhwa shook his head, a rueful expression on his face. “I’m sorry, Min, but she won’t unlock the door. She says she knows where Miri is going, and she’ll be fine once she gets there. I think Miri may be on her way to the house on Jeju, but it has been so long since we’ve been there; I don’t know exactly where it is on the island anymore... and I never paid attention to the address.” He sat on a chair at the table and looked at his friend with sympathy. “I don’t know what else to tell you, Min... you fucked up, big time, and Lisa isn’t the most forgiving person... you hurt her best friend, who she loves like a sister, and as long as she thinks she’s doing the right thing by preventing you from finding out where Miri is, she’ll continue to thwart you at every turn.” 

Minseok gripped his hands into fists and looked out the window toward the winter garden outside, then took a deep breath before relaxing and looking back at his friend. “Can’t you convince her that Miri shouldn’t be alone? I mean, Lisa knows about her past, about how her mind works, can’t she understand that I’m terrified Miri will try to kill herself again?” 

Chinhwa shrugged his shoulders. “I tried, Min... she said that as long as Miri thinks she’s pregnant, she won’t do anything to harm herself or the baby.” 

“But... but what if Miri isn’t pregnant...?” Minseok couldn’t stop the tears that slowly trailed down his face at the dire thought of what could occur. 

“Look, Min... Miri is supposed to call Lisa as soon as she arrives wherever she’s going... once Lisa hears from her, she might be more inclined to at least let you talk to Miri and then let Miri decide if she wants to tell you where she's gone. The only thing we can do now is wait... I know it’s hard, but...” Chinhwa’s words were cut off when Minseok exploded from his chair. 

“YOU DO NOT FUCKING KNOW!!!! SHE’S MY FUCKING WIFE, AND I AM TERRIFIED SHE WILL FOLLOW THROUGH ON HER THREATS, AND I WON’T BE ABLE TO SAVE HER THIS TIME!!!!” Minseok turned and strode out of the kitchen toward the bedroom Lisa had holed up in, then stopped in front of the door, while Chinhwa came after him, prepared to separate his wife and his friend if she opened the door and they started fighting. “LISA!! YOU OPEN THIS FUCKING DOOR AND TELL ME WHERE MY WIFE IS RIGHT NOW!” 

“AND WHAT IF I DON’T, YOU BASTARD??? WHAT IF I DON’T WANT YOU TO HURT MY FRIEND AGAIN?!!!” Lisa's voice was high and strident, and Chinhwa could tell she’d been crying. 

“IF ANYTHING HAPPENS TO HER BECAUSE YOU DIDN’T TELL ME WHERE SHE IS...” Minseok started to say until Chinhwa grabbed his arm. 

“Don’t... don’t you even dare... this is not Lisa’s fault, it’s yours, and if something happens to Miri, that will also be your fault... don’t you even try to place this at Lisa’s feet... she’s protecting her friend from the person who put her in this situation... don’t make it worse by accusing Lisa of what you’ve done...” Chinhwa was nearly ready to punch Minseok, and Minseok deflated immediately. 

“You’re right... oh god...” Minseok turned toward the door and spoke, his voice ragged as he tried to maintain control over his fear. “Lisa, I am so sorry... this is not your fault, I... I know none of this is anyone’s fault but mine... I’m... I’m just so afraid of what Miri might do to herself... we all know what she’s capable of, and god help me, I’ve pushed her to that place again, and I am... I don’t even know how to explain... fuck; there isn’t any explanation except that I am a fucking monster, and I do not deserve that beautiful creature in my life, but... but I love her so much... and even if she wants nothing to do with me, I still have to make sure she’s okay... I swear I’ll stay out of her life if she tells me to go, even if she is pregnant, but... but I can’t just go away without knowing she’s all right... I can’t abandon her... please... Lisa... please help me...” 

By the time Minseok had finished speaking, he was sobbing, and Chinhwa wrapped his arms around his friend, offering what little comfort he could. As they stood there, they heard the door unlock, then it opened very slowly, to reveal Lisa, who still looked as angry as ever, but now there was a spark of empathy in her dark gaze. Both men looked at her, Chinhwa with a small, warm smile as he let go of Minseok to pull his wife into his embrace, and Minseok with a hopeful expression, even as tears streamed down his cheeks. 

“I’ll... I’ll tell you...” Lisa said as she accepted Chinhwa’s comfort, but just as she began to say more, her phone rang. She quickly pulled it out of her sweatshirt pocket and said, “It’s Miri...”


	5. Please ask him to forgive me

“Put it on speaker, so we can all hear it, okay?” Chinhwa asked, and Lisa nodded, then pushed the button and picked up the call. 

“Hello? Miri?” Lisa muted the phone for a moment and looked at Minseok. “She won’t think you’re here because she’ll think I wouldn’t answer if you are, so don’t say anything...” Minseok nodded, and Lisa unmuted the phone. 

“Lisa... oh god, Lisa... please... please tell Minseok I’m sorry...” Miri sobbed. 

“Miri, are you at the house?” Lisa asked as she tried desperately not to give in to her anxiety for her friend. 

"Please... oh god... I... I lied to him... please tell him I swear I never meant to do that...” 

“Miri, what are you talking about? Are you at the house? Are you all right?” 

"Oh god... oh god, Lisa... I know... I know he hates me already, but now... now he’s going to wish I’d never existed... please... please tell him it was an honest mistake, and I didn’t mean to lie... please... I know he doesn’t want me anymore, but please ask him not to hate me... please ask him to forgive me...” Miri wasn’t paying attention to Lisa’s questions, and Minseok started to speak, but Chinhwa stopped him. 

“Miri... Miri-ah... calm down, sweetie, and tell me what happened... where are you? Are you at least somewhere safe? Why do you want me to tell those things to Minseok?” 

“I’m... I’m at the house... I just got here a... about a half-hour ago... I... I bought tests, and I wanted to wait until I got the results before I called to let you know I’m okay, except... except, I’m not... I’m not pregnant... I thought I was... I wanted to be... I wanted something to remember my Seokie-ah... a piece of him that was mine too... so I could remember the love we shared once... but now... now I’ll have nothing... and he’ll think I was lying because I told him I was pregnant... I honestly thought I was... but I’m not... and he’s going to have beautiful babies with that girl, and I’ll be a piece of shit he encountered for a while until he found his true love... oh... oh my god, Lisa... I... I don’t know what to do now... I... I was going to... to stay... for the baby, but... but now there isn’t one... how... how can I... how can I survive without him? How can I... how can I see a single sunrise without being able to gaze at his beautiful face before he wakes up... Lisa, please... please tell him... tell him I’m so sorry... I didn’t lie on purpose... I just... I just wanted it to be true so bad... but... but it isn’t, and... and... and I don’t know what to do...” Miri started sobbing harder, and Minseok quickly grabbed the phone and spoke. 

"Miri... Miri-ah, honey, it’s me... please, baby...” 

"SEOKIE-AH I’M SO SORRY PLEASE FORGIVE ME I DIDN’T MEAN TO LIE PLEASE BE HAPPY WITH HER AND DON’T HATE ME, PLEASE, I BEG YOU, PLEASSSSEEEEEEEEE...” Miri screamed as she sobbed, and suddenly the call dropped. 

"FUCK!!!! Lisa... where is she?” Minseok handed the phone back to Lisa, then started toward the front door to get his coat and boots in preparation for leaving to find his wife. 

“Minseok, I promised her I wouldn’t tell you...” Lisa started to say, but he cut her off. 

“Lisa, I understand that, and I appreciate your loyalty to her, but... but you heard her... I don’t want her to get the chance to hurt herself or worse... it’s already bad enough that I’ve had to wait this long to go to her, please don’t make me wait any longer... please...” Minseok pleaded with Lisa, and she finally relented. 

“She’s at our house on Jeju Island; I’ll text you the address. It’s fastest to fly to the island, then rent a car.” Lisa stared at him for a long moment. “I know what you were going to say when you were yelling at me through the door, so I’ll finish your sentence for you... if anything happens to my best friend because of this, I hope that you’ll spend the rest of your life hating yourself as much as I will...” 

“Lisa, honey...” Chinhwa said quietly, as he held her tightly since he could feel her body tensing and knew she wanted to punch Minseok. 

Minseok gritted his teeth, then replied quietly, “Why didn’t you tell me where she was earlier, Lisa? None of this is your fault, I agree, but... but if I had known where she was before I left Nami, I could have gone to her from there, instead of losing the time I’ve wasted...” 

Lisa looked between Chinhwa and Minseok, then replied, her voice filled with fury. “Because my best friend, who was shattered because her beloved husband believed some stupid little cunt’s lies, begged me not to say anything... because she was going to make sure he was happy with his new girlfriend and go away and raise their baby by herself... I blame all of this on you, you selfish bastard! All Miri ever did was love you, and how did you repay her? By listening to some stupid little bitch, instead of your wife, who wouldn’t hurt a fucking fly, unless it meant saving you! Goddamn you! If anything happens to her... I will never forgive you.” She pulled herself from Chinhwa’s arms and ran back to their bedroom, slamming the door after herself. 

Chinhwa frowned at Minseok and shook his head. “I hope nothing happens to Miri. Not because I’m worried about what it will do to you, but because that sweet, beautiful girl doesn’t deserve any of this. I hope to god you find her before it’s too late. I hope you can convince her that her life has meaning, and if she decides she doesn’t want you in her life, Lisa and I will support her one hundred percent. And god help you if something does happen to her because I won’t forgive you either.” 

Chinhwa held Minseok’s gaze for a long moment, then Minseok left the house, drove to the airport, and boarded a plane for Jeju. 

Mirielle sat on the bathroom floor in the house on Jeju Island staring alternately at her phone, then at the six pregnancy tests she’d completed. She watched her phone light up as Lisa tried to call her, let the call go to voice mail, then stared at the innocuous-looking tests with their minuses and NOT PREGNANT words. 

Her phone started ringing again, and this time she answered it. “Hello...?” 

“Oh my god, Miri... are you all right? Please tell me you aren’t going to do something bad to yourself... please...” Lisa’s voice cracked as she tried not to break down. 

Miri’s voice sounded exhausted and defeated when she answered. “I’m... I’m okay, Lis... just... just really sad. I... I don’t think I’m going to do anything...” She stopped talking, then stood, picked up the used tests, and placed them in the paper bag from the store she’d purchased them. “I don’t know what to do... now that Minseok will divorce me, I... I don’t know where to go...” She wandered out of the room and into the house, her pale amber gaze catching the sunlight of the late afternoon and seeming to glow. 

She’d turned the heat on when she’d arrived as it had been cold and rainy, and now, she walked the floors in her stocking feet, although she still wore the leggings and long sweater she’d had on when they’d left for Nami. Now, she stopped and stood in front of one of the floor to ceiling windows that looked out onto the enclosed yard and sighed. “I heard Minseok; I know he was with you... I know you told him where I am...” 

“I’m sorry, Mir, he...” Lisa started to say, but Miri interrupted her. 

“You don’t have to apologize, Lis, I understand... I knew it was inevitable that he’d find me, even if it is just to have me sign the formal paperwork to end our marriage.” Miri sat down in a chair, lowered her head, and then placed her hand over her eyes as she started to cry again. “He’ll be here soon, won’t he?” 

Lisa sobbed, then replied, “Yes... he... he’s taking a flight, then he’ll rent a car... he should be there in less than an hour, now... but Miri, he...” 

“No, Lis... please... I don’t want to know if he’s with that girl... god, I hope he doesn’t bring her to the house, that he at least allows me that much dignity... I’m sure they’ll rent a hotel room; maybe he’ll just leave her there while he comes here...” Miri’s voice broke at the end of her sentence, and she whimpered. “What am I going to do without him, Lisa? I know I shouldn’t be this way; I know I could take care of myself, but it’s not what I want... if I’d wanted that, I would never have married him or anyone else in the first place... how am I supposed to pretend that I’m all right after this?” 

Lisa gulped, then whispered, “Miri... he’s coming because he loves you, he’s not with that girl, he’s cut ties with the group...” 

Miri lifted her head and looked out the window as tears slid slowly down her cheeks and the light continued to illuminate her irises. “Oh no... so... so that means they’ll have to lay people off... I... I told him I didn’t want to be the cause of that... oh god... he must hate me so much... he just said he loves me, but he doesn’t mean it... he’s coming to tell me what a horrible person I am to have forced him to make that decision, and to take the livelihood away from other people because of my selfishness... please... please tell Chinhwa I am terribly sorry... I never meant for any of this to happen... I thought he’d choose them...” She started crying harder again and set the phone down, then buried her face in both of her hands and wailed. 

“Miri?! Miri!! Miri, no, that’s not what happened! Miri-ah!! Please, Miri, pick up the phone and listen to me!!” Lisa begged her friend to talk to her, but the call was cut. Lisa looked at Chinhwa and started to sob, and he wrapped her in his arms. 

“Shh, jagiya... you did what you could. At least we know she isn’t planning to go somewhere else, so she’ll be there when Minseok arrives, and he can talk to her. Miri is stronger than she thinks, and Minseok honestly didn’t want any of this to happen; I believe he’ll be able to convince her that he loves her and she is worthy of it... come, let’s order take out and relax in front of the fire... there’s no point in worrying, Minseok will call us once everything is resolved.” 

Mirielle sat and cried, utterly defeated, until she heard the doorbell ring. She sighed softly, lifted her head and stood up, then stopped to grab a few tissues from the box before she walked to the door and pulled it open. 

And there he stood, the love of Miri’s life, looking harrowed and harassed, although instead of crossing the threshold, he stayed where he was. She lowered her gaze to his hands, noted he was carrying no papers, but realized that didn’t mean they weren’t waiting in the car while his girlfriend stayed at their hotel, and she backed up a few steps while choking out a welcome. 

“H-Hello, Minseok... p-please... please come in...” Miri couldn’t make herself meet his dark gaze, positive she’d find nothing but hatred and retribution there. Hence, she stared at his feet, watching as he stepped past the door, then bent down to unzip his fashionable yet comfortable boots and listened while he removed his coat and hung it on the antique coat rack. 

“Thank you, Mirielle,” he said formally, then waited for her to lead him further into the house. 

She closed the door intending to take him to the kitchen, but her body betrayed her when her knees gave out, and she collapsed to the cold floor in abject misery to curl her arms around her stomach as she knelt and rocked herself back and forth while fighting the shrieks that tried to pass her lips. 

Suddenly, she found herself gathered into strong arms, then pulled into a warm lap, and Miri realized Minseok had sat on the floor beside her, then brought her to his embrace. She sobbed harder from the knowledge that this was the last time he would hold her like this, and she fought between clinging to him or pushing him away, unsure if she could handle it when he let her go on his own. 

And then, he began to talk, his warm, soft voice slowly calming her until she could understand what he was saying. He’d known she wouldn’t hear him at first, so he’d just kept repeating the words, over and over, until they began to sink into her damaged psyche. 

“I love you, Miri-ah... I never loved anyone else. Nothing was going on between Soyoung and me; there never was. I allowed myself to lose sight of the most important part of my life, which is you. For that I am... sorry is such a little word, compared to how terrible I feel for causing this... for causing you to doubt my love, and for believing yourself unworthy again... my love, you are worth everything. If you decide I am incapable of providing it for you since I keep doing these stupid things, I will leave you... but only if you tell me to go. Until you say it out loud, until you force me to leave, I will remain at your side and try my hardest to salve the wounds I’ve inflicted on your heart.” 

Eventually, Miri felt calm enough to speak to him, although she knew she would continue to cry. Still, she made a valiant effort. “I’m... I’m so sorry, Seokie-ah... I lied to you, and I didn’t mean to..., and I wanted it to be a surprise, but I’m not pregnant, and even if I had been, I thought you didn’t want me anymore... it hurt so much when you believed her... when you went back on your word and started to neglect me again... I... I thought I’d lost you for good...” 

Minseok leaned against the foyer's wall and held Miri tightly while rocking her gently in his arms. “Miri-ah... you have no reason to apologize; this was all my fault. I let my vanity take control of me, and I didn’t let myself notice how it was affecting you. I saw it, but I chose to ignore it because I was full of myself and believed you would get over it because I was worth it... when in reality, you’re the one who’s worth the effort to keep happy... I’m so sorry, baby, it’s me who should apologize, and I do... I never stopped wanting you, even if I seemed like I did. And I’m sorry for believing her... oh, that reminds me, did you put ice on your cheek yet?” 

Miri sniffled and shook her head, then carefully blew her nose in one of the tissues she had clutched in her hand. 

“Ah, my sweet Miri... I’m so sorry, honey... have you eaten yet today?” Minseok gently rubbed his hand on her belly and kissed her forehead. “One day, our child will be growing in here, sweetheart... it’s all right that you aren’t pregnant yet... and it’s all right if you went off the pill to try to get pregnant... I imagine the reason you haven’t is that a certain great big pabo was causing you too much stress... and he is terribly sorry for that...” 

Miri giggled softly as her lips curved into a small smile. “He is kind of stupid sometimes... but I don’t know what I’d do without him...” She hiccupped, sniffled, then pressed her forehead against his neck and started to cry again. “Please, Seokie-ah... please don’t do this again... I don’t think I could survive another one... it hurt so much... you... you looked like you thought I was the most horrible person on the planet... I just... I just wanted to go away so that you could be happy... I just... just want you to be happy... and if it’s not with me...” 

“Shhh... hush, now, honey... my happiness is you; it always has been... none of this was your fault. I spoke frankly with Mister Cha and everyone, and I explained what had happened, and Mister Cha apologizes for Soyoung’s behavior. They are still our clients, but I have made it clear that Soyoung will not manipulate me into doing fieldwork again...” Minseok snuggled her close, then groaned. “This floor is very uncomfortable, baby... let’s go sit in the living room... or go lie in bed... I want to cuddle with you...” 

Miri nodded her head, then slowly rose from his lap while he stood beside her, then engulfed her in another hug. “I don’t want to let you go, even for a minute,” he whispered to her, then tilted her head back to offer her a deep, loving kiss. She accepted, and when they parted, Miri was panting slightly, while Minseok had to adjust the front of his pants. 

“My goodness... your kisses make me woozy...” Miri said, then blushed prettily, although Minseok noticed the dark bruise on her cheek. 

“Oh, poor baby, your bruise is worse than I thought... come on, honey, show me where the kitchen is, so I can get some ice and make a compress, then we’ll snuggle... hm... did you do any shopping for food? If not, we could order in... and I need to get my luggage from the car... how did you get here?” He followed Miri to the kitchen, and she sat on a stool while he set about making her an ice pack. 

“I drove one of the Han company cars... so you couldn’t track me by GPS...” Miri blushed when Minseok looked at her. “I... I was afraid that if you found me, you’d... we’d be over... and... and I was trying to delay that for as long as possible...” She turned her head and looked out the window into the courtyard, and he reached out to caress her shoulder gently.


	6. A little vacation

“I understand, Miri-ah... I promise, I won’t let something like this happen again... I know I promised before, but... well, I thought I had it under control. I didn’t expect to be caught up in it like that... it all seemed so innocent, and I honestly expected everything to go back to normal once the idols went on tour, but... Soyoung had started making comments about how she needed me to go with them because I was the only one who could keep her safe... and I realized that she was trying to take me away from you... and I almost lost you because of my stupidity...” He handed her the compress, then gently held her while he stood beside her stool, and she rested her head against his shoulder, both of them looking into the yard but not seeing anything. 

“I... I stopped at a store, but I only bought... those tests... I wasn’t... wasn’t hungry then, and I wasn’t sure if I was going to be, because I was so nervous and upset...” Miri sighed softly and closed her eyes, basking in Minseok’s warmth and care. 

“I’ll see what there is available to order, baby... in the meantime, I’m going to go out and get my luggage... did you bring yours in already? I would have sworn that was your car in the driveway, except I knew that wasn’t your license plate.” 

Miri nodded her head. “I brought mine in and took it into the bedroom, yes... and I picked that one because it’s just like mine, so I wouldn’t have to get used to new buttons to push... I’m... I’m sorry I ran away again, Seokie-ah, but... but I was afraid to stay...” 

Minseok lowered his head, tilted hers back with his fingertips, and kissed her softly, then murmured, “You’re not in trouble, baby... and if I were the one who liked being spanked, I’d let you punish me... but since I don’t, and you’re not in trouble, I guess that just means I’ll have to give you a good, long licking...” He reached down and gently cupped one of her breasts, then squeezed it tenderly. “Do you want one of your Daddy’s patented lickings, baby?” 

“Y-Yes... yes, please... D-Daddy...” Mirielle replied, a soft catch in her throat as she remembered what one of Minseok’s ‘patented’ lickings entailed. 

“Good girl... I’ll get my bags, then we’ll decide what to eat, and once we’ve had our dinner, we’ll take a nice, long bath so we can prepare you... and Miri-ah...?” 

“Yes, Seokie-ah?” Miri gazed into his dark eyes, her amber turning to gold, while he watched as the sunset brightened the open room. 

“I love you... more than anything else, you are my world... promise me... if I start being a pinhead again, kick me... have Lisa come to my office and beat me up... have Chinhwa call me names... anything... because we both know how stubborn I am. My stubbornness only rivals yours... so... if for some reason, I start acting like a dumbhead... don’t let me... okay?” 

Miri smiled and nodded her head, and he kissed her again. “I’ll be right back; you stay here and wait for me, then you can show me to the bedroom.” 

“Okay, Seokie-ah... I love you too... with all my heart...” Miri sighed softly as he hugged her tight. 

He started to walk away from her but stopped when he heard a quiet sob, and when he turned around, he found her watching him with a devastated expression on her face as tears dropped from her eyes. The beams of late sunlight created prisms in the diamond droplets, and he came quickly back to her, then gently held her cheek in his hand. “Miri-ah... my sweet love... what’s wrong?” 

Miri gulped, then blinked, sending more of the tears down her beautiful face, and she gasped, “P-Please, Seokie-ah... p-p-p-please come back to m-m-m-meeee...” 

Minseok wrapped his arms around her and held her tight, his heart sore as he felt her trembling. “Honey, I promise I will... hm... do you want to come out to the car with me? You’ll have to put on your boots and coat; it’s frigid out there...” He brushed his lips over the top of her head while she buried her nose in the crease of his armpit. “That way, you can make sure I don’t leave... would you like that, baby?” He chuckled softly when she nodded her head enthusiastically, then gently squeezed her. “All right, honey... come on, wipe your face and blow your nose, so your snot doesn’t freeze to your lip...” 

Miri blinked and wrinkled said nose. “Ewwwwww, that’s gross!!!” She squealed, then pushed at his chest lightly with her hand. 

Minseok started laughing and took one of the tissues from her hand, then started wiping her lip, helped her blow her nose, and smiled warmly at her once her face was clean again. “I swear, sometimes you’re like having a little kid... and I love it...” He kissed her forehead, then helped her off the stool and walked with her to the foyer. “If you’re a very good girl, I’ll give you a piggyback ride out to the car.” 

Miri nodded her head vigorously, then stood still while he put her in her coat, buttoned her up, then held her boots so she could step into them. He wore his coat and boots, then opened the door, turned his back to her, and bent down a bit, so she could jump up and get her piggyback. She giggled the whole way to the car, as he was sort of skipping along, which caused her to bounce up and down. When they reached the car, he set her on her feet, then opened the trunk to retrieve his luggage. 

“You brought your laptop?” Miri asked as she reached in to take the bag and his toiletry travel kit. 

“Mhm,” he replied, then cast a glance toward her. “I saw your laptop on the kitchen table, too.” 

“Uh-huh... I was... I was going to stay down here for a while and do some work... and try... try to... to...” 

Minseok looked at her, and she was taking deep breaths, trying not to start crying again. He quickly set his suitcase down, pulled her close as she held the other bags, and rubbed his hands up and down her back. “Shh, baby... it’s all right now... I’m here, we’re together, and it will always be that way, I swear it... shh... come on, sweetheart, let’s get my bags into the house and order some dinner; I bet you’ll feel a lot better after you eat...” He held her until she sniffled and nodded her head, then picked up his suitcase again and walked with her to the house. 

Once inside, she took him to the bedroom they’d be sharing, then on a tour of the house, and finally, they were sitting on the couch in the living room, scrolling on his laptop to find a place that would deliver their dinner. 

Suddenly, they heard the front door open, then the sound of Lisa’s voice calling. “Miri! Minseok!! Are you here? Are you all right??!!” 

Miri jumped off the couch and ran toward the door, then threw her arms around her friends’ neck, hugging her tightly, while Lisa hugged her back. Chinhwa entered the house behind Lisa and shut the door, and Minseok came around the corner, and the two men shook hands. 

“How come you came?!” Miri asked breathlessly, a brilliant smile lighting up her features. She turned and hugged Chinhwa, then moved to stand beside Minseok and slid her arms around his waist while he held her close to him. 

“We were worried, and we wanted to make sure you two were all right...” Lisa replied as she looked at Minseok, then back at Miri. 

Minseok and Chinhwa shared a look while Miri nodded her head. “I’m... I’m okay now... except I keep crying because I’m a big baby... but I’m okay...” 

“Awww, honey, you’re my big baby, and I love you just like this,” Minseok murmured to her softly as he rubbed her back, and she rested her cheek against his chest. “We were just deciding what we wanted to have delivered for dinner... any suggestions? I haven’t been on Jeju in a long time; I don’t remember what’s good. I didn’t know you guys had the house remodeled?” 

“Well, since I bought it when Miri and I were in school before she met you, it was pretty outdated, I'm sure you remember from when you guys were here with us after your wedding. Chin and I come down here once in a while, but mostly we use it as a rental now, so we thought it could stand some refreshing... there won’t be anyone here until the beginning of May, so we’ll be unmolested... well, by any strangers, anyway...” Lisa grinned at Miri, then looked at Chinhwa. “Let’s put our bags in our room; then we can all decide what to do for dinner.” She looked back at Minseok and Miri and smiled. “We could also go out if you wanted, there are a couple of nice restaurants that don’t deliver. Or, we could do that tomorrow for your birthday, Minseok.” 

Miri smiled a bit wanly and hugged Minseok. “I don’t want to go out tonight, I’m exhausted... this was kind of a tough day... but you guys could if you want to...” She smiled at the three of them, obviously meaning Minseok could go with Chin and Lisa if they decided to do it. 

“Nope, I’m sticking with you like glue, baby... come on, let’s go check out some more menus while Chin and Lisa get settled. See you guys in a few?” 

“And that’s a no for us as well; we just want to spend some time with our two favorite people,” Chinhwa replied, then grabbed their bags, and he and Lisa headed for their room. 

“We’re not in their room, are we?” Minseok asked Miri as they walked to the living room. 

Miri shook her head. “No, I made sure to ask her which one they used when they came down, so I wasn’t in their space, even if I was the only one here... now I’m glad I thought of that... it’s... it’s kind of nice that they cared enough to come... don’t you think, Seokie-ah?” 

Minseok pulled Miri onto his lap and hugged her warmly, then nodded his head. “Yes, I think it’s very nice... first, because they cared enough to come, and second because we’ll be able to take a short vacation with them, which we haven’t done since before all that mess with Mister Dung happened...” 

Miri started giggling at the way Minseok pronounced the man’s name, settled against his chest as he picked up his laptop and set it on her legs, then started perusing menus again. 

A few minutes later, Chinhwa and Lisa joined them; they found a restaurant they could all agree on, then Minseok called and ordered, and offered to pay since he was the main reason they were all on the island to begin with. No-one argued, and Miri snickered when he put on a long-suffering expression as he reached for his wallet and credit card. 

“It’s a good thing I have a wife who makes a lot of money so that I can afford things like dinners for everyone,” Minseok teased after he’d placed the order. 

“Yah, Seokie-ah, you’re not supposed to be spending my money!!” Miri teased back, and they got into a small tickle war. 

Chinhwa reached over and rescued Minseok’s laptop before it fell to the floor, then he and Lisa got up and set the kitchen table in preparation for their meal, both of their faces wearing happy expressions as they watched their friends play. 

“I’m still so mad at him, but... she loves him so much, and it’s obvious he loves her dearly... look at how he looks at her...” Lisa whispered while Chinhwa stood behind her, wrapped his arms around her waist, and rested his chin on her shoulder. 

Chinhwa turned his head and kissed the side of Lisa’s neck, then whispered in her ear. “Sort of how I look at you, jagi... he sees her as his everything, even if he’s a jackass sometimes... I see you as my everything, and I try hard not to be a jerk... hopefully, I do a fairly good job of it...” 

Lisa laughed softly and held his arms more tightly around her waist, nodding her head as she murmured, “Yes, you do an admirable job at not being a pabo, and I thank you for that.” 

A few minutes later, Minseok and Miri had joined Chinhwa and Lisa at the kitchen table, the four friends enjoying cold bottles of cheongju, while they waited for their meals to arrive. 

Suddenly, Miri stopped talking and pursed her lips together, an anguished expression crossing her beautiful features, and Minseok pushed his chair back, pulled Miri from hers, and placed her on his lap. He wrapped one arm around her waist and gently began to stroke her hair with his other hand as she turned toward him, gripped the front of his shirt, pushed her face against his neck, and started to sob. 

“Oh! Oh, honey... shh, baby, it’s all right... you’re all right... I’m here, and so are our friends, and we are going to enjoy time together away from everything, and I will do whatever you need me to, to make up for how I treated you... my poor, sweet baby... shh, sweetheart...” 

The doorbell rang just as Lisa started to stand up to come around the table and pat Miri’s back, so she and Chinhwa went to retrieve the food, and when they came back to the kitchen, Mineok was rocking Miri slowly on his lap while she cried. 

“Miri-ah, dinner is here... do you want to eat now, or wait a little bit? I’m sure we can heat it later if you’d like...” Minseok held her like a child, and Miri clung to him as though she was terrified of letting him go, but after a few moments, she nodded her head. 

“I... I’m hungry... I’m s-s-sorry I keep c-c-crying...” She wiped her nose on the front of his shirt, causing him, Chinhwa, and Lisa to start laughing. 

“All right, baby, we’ll eat now, although first I need to change... I can’t believe you just did that, aish!” Minseok was snickering, and Miri leaned her head back, realized what she’d done, and blushed darkly. 

“Oh! Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry, Seokie-ah... I wasn’t even... oh geez...” She offered him a bashful smile, and he kissed her forehead. 

“Silly girl, and it’s fine, nothing a little soap and water won’t take care of. Do you want to come with me while I change clothes?” Minseok wiggled his eyebrows, rubbed his hand up and down Miri’s side, and she shook her head, causing him to look at her askance. 

“I would, except then I think we would have to heat our dinner after all, because I wouldn’t be able to resist... um... well, you know...” Miri murmured, which caused everyone to chuckle. 

“Ah, I see, you’re afraid my manly physique will cause you to have heart palpitations?” Minseok replied as he gently tickled his wife, and she squirmed on his lap. “Mmm... I may have to rethink this tickling thing, or I’ll kidnap you to our room and do naughty things to you...” He kissed her sweetly, then helped her sit on her chair before he stood up, brushed his fingertips over her non-bruised cheek, then excused himself. 

Lisa rolled her eyes as she and Miri giggled. “Oh my god, he’s so corny! The two of you are perfect for each other!” 

The three friends began setting out the food – they'd ordered items that were easily shared, and once they’d placed everything on platters with serving utensils, they sat down. Minseok joined them moments later, and the four of them had a lovely dinner with excellent food, many drinks, and shared stories, reminding each other about places they’d been and adventures they’d had together. 

Finally, they were full, Miri was leaning on Minseok’s shoulder sleepily as he’d coaxed her into his lap again, and Lisa smiled, then spoke. “Why don’t the two of you go relax? Chinhwa and I can take care of the dishes. We’ll see you tomorrow morning, whenever we are all awake.” 

Minseok nodded his head; Miri mumbled softly as she’d already begun to doze off, so he stood up with her in his arms and carried her to their room. 

“Come, sweetling, let me undress you so we can take a bath. Do you need me to wash your hair?” Minseok set Miri on the bed, helped her out of her sweater, then let her lay back so he could begin tugging her leggings down to expose her pretty lace panties. “Oh my, what is this? I have a pretty girl in my bed, and she’s wearing sexy little things under her clothes... how lucky could a guy get??” 

Miri lifted her arms over her head and stretched, straightening out her legs and rubbing her toes against the back of Minseok’s thighs. “I only wear these for my Daddy, just so you know... so you better be him, or I’m gonna scream...” Her voice was soft and sleepy, and Minseok felt his heart thump hard in his chest. 

“Fuck, baby, you are gorgeous and adorable... I think we should skip the bath; we can take one tomorrow morning... I can’t wait any longer to touch you...” He quickly stripped off his clothes until he was in his tee-shirt and boxers, then helped her stand up so he could pull the covers back before gently lifting her in his arms and setting her on the mattress, then lay down beside her. Propping his head on his elbow, he rubbed his hand gently over her belly, then up to carefully squeeze each of her perfect breasts. “Are you too sleepy for me to make love to you, Miri-ah?” 

“Uh uh,” Miri whispered muzzily, her eyelids partially lifted, allowing the soft lamplight to cause her irises to glow. “I want to feel you... I don’t wanna wait...” She pursed her lips and made quiet kissy noises at him. “I want kisses too, Seokie-ah... lots of kisses... please?” 

She said the last word so plaintively, it caused Minseok’s dark eyes to fill with tears, and he quickly leaned down to press warm kisses against Miri’s lips, bringing a soft sigh of contentment from her mouth. He pulled her close and moved to hover over her, his legs pressing between hers to urge her to spread her thighs, and once she had, he rubbed his hard length gently against her damp panties, then whispered, “Are you ready, baby? Or do you need Daddy to tease you first?” 

“Mmm, ready, Daddy... been thinkin’ ‘bout my lickin’... but mmm too tired for that... still made me wet, though...” Miri slow-blinked, and Minseok groaned. 

“Jesu, you’re sexy, baby... here, let me get this off... then these... now yours... oh, look at these sweet little sundaes... just waiting for me to nibble on these pebbles... mmm, yummy... what a perfect dessert you are, baby...” Minseok nuzzled and licked Miri’s nipples, causing her to gasp, then moan quietly and writhe beneath him. 

“Oooh... Daddy... I like it when you do that... feels so good... ah... ohhhh...” Miri slid her hands into Minseok’s hair and tugged gently, pulling his mouth back to hers so he would kiss her again. 

He leaned upon his knees while he obliged her gentle request, reached to her hip and grasped her thin panties, then tore them at the seam before pushing them out of the way and lightly trailing his fingertips over her naked petals. “You shaved this morning, didn’t you?” He whispered against her lips, his dark eyes gazing into her partially opened copper-colored ones. 

His question had the opposite effect than he’d expected, and her eyes flooded with tears when she nodded, while her sweet mouth curved down in a sad frown. “I... I...” she started to try to explain, but he shushed her with another gentle kiss, then carefully spread her nether lips before pressing his tip against her tight puss and slowly slipping inside, moaning at her tightness. 

Once he was deep enough that he wouldn’t easily slide back out, he placed his forearms on the bed beside Miri’s arms, slid his hands under her shoulders, then began to make tender love to her, soothing her feelings. She lifted her arms, gripped his triceps gently, then placed her feet behind his thighs, giving him deeper access to her charms, while a low moan rumbled in her throat. 

He worshipped her with kisses and lovemaking for hours, both of them dozing in between their climaxes until he would awaken her with more gentle fondling and caresses. Finally, when the sun was just beginning to brighten the horizon, they cuddled close together and fell asleep, safe in each other’s embrace. 

The two couples spent the week together in the house, celebrating Minseok and Miri’s birthdays and enjoying each other’s company, unhindered by work obligations or phone calls. They explored the island; giggling like schoolkids when they visited Love Land, then spent one day riding the Jeju horses, another exploring Eco Land and hiking Hallasan Mountain, and another visiting Hyeopjaegul and Ssangyonggul Caves, and the rest of the time they stayed at the house, either together playing games or watching movies, or coupled up in their separate bedrooms. 

By the time they were ready to return to Seoul, the four of them were rejuvenated and refreshed, and Minseok and Mirielle had proven to each other how much they were cherished.


End file.
